AN aerospace engineer from Northern Ireland has been unveiled as one of the contestants for the latest series of hit TV show Great British Bake Off.
Andrew (25), who now lives in Derby and designs jet engines for Rolls-Royce, will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of champion Nadiya Hussain in the BBC series.
Twelve amateur bakers will compete to earn the approval of judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.
Publicity for the programme says the Northern Ireland representative, named only as Andrew, will likely make use of the secret recipes passed down by his mother and grandmother.
His scientific background could also lead to some very precise bakes, with creations including a baguette Concorde.
The oldest contestant in this year’s line-up will be Lee, a 67-year-old who has worked in various pastoral ministries for the past 30 years – most recently as the pastor of his local church in Bolton.
A former builder, he had a complete change of direction in the mid 1980s when he turned to theology and took up baking.
Another hopeful, Jane, will draw on a long family tradition of baking when she presents her creations to Hollywood and Berry.
The 61-year-old garden designer’s grandfather owned a bakery in Hastings, and as a child she watched her father pipe and ice the cakes.
Tom (26) has managed to shed 30 kg despite his passion for baking. He believes in “moderation” and works for The Royal Society of Arts in London.
Also heading to the tent is this year’s youngest contestant Michael, a 20-year-old from London who is studying politics and economics in Durham.
And the teaching profession will be well represented, with 23-year-old teaching assistant Benjamina, 66-year-old former primary school head teacher Val, and 31-year-old secondary school PE teacher Candice all showing off their baking skills.
Also joining them in the Bake Off tent will be 46-year-old Welsh hairdresser Louise, 37-year-old nurse Kate from Norfolk, 30-year-old Ghanaian Selasi, who works as a client service associate in a financial institution, and 28-year-old Rav, who helps to support students at City University London.
Berry (81) said this year’s contestants had not immediately become friends.
She said: “They know the standard that it is, which is now pretty high. And I think they were slower to bond this year than they were in the past.”
And entering the Bake Off tent was particularly nerve-wracking for the bakers because of last year’s winner, Nadiya.
“Nadiya went to a whole new level, and because of that I think it put the pressure on them more, and I think we felt that in the tents as well,” Hollywood said.
“But actually they came out tops. They started quite nervously but once they settled down they got into it. Then the baking started to flow and the standard got really really good.”
:: The Great British Bake Off launches on August 24 on BBC One at 8pm.
